History Of The Blazers' Two Lottery Picks

The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping their lottery karma is somehow paid back after they dropped three spots in last Sunday's NBA Draft Lottery. The franchise enters next month’s NBA Draft with the seventh pick despite holding the fourth best lottery odds in lead up to the lottery. The Blazers also hold the 14th pick, which originally belonged to the Golden State Warriors, arriving in Portland via the second half of the Damian Lillard trade last October.

General Manager Joe Cronin and his staff, including scouting guru Mike Schmitz, will spend the next month poring over film and working out prospects before the June 26 and 27 draft.

Cronin may also be making and fielding calls to and from other teams regarding the possibility of trading up, down or out of either draft position. I wrote last week the Blazers are unlikely to use both first round picks, regardless of what happened at the lottery.

But unless you’re in on those phone calls, listening to negotiations, there’s no way of knowing exactly what will go down on draft night.

Below we go through all the seventh and 14th picks selected since the Blazers entered the league in 1970 and any individual achievements they might have had.

History of #7

Since 1970, the seventh pick has produced one MVP, two Hall of Famers, six All NBA recipients (one every nine years), 11 All Stars (almost one every five years), four All Defensive talents and a Rookie of the Year. The latter was Portland’s own Damon Stoudamire who was taken with the seventh pick in 1995 by the then fledgling Toronto Raptors. Mighty Mouse was a favorite to many through his years in the league, but it’s another point guard that has shone brightest from the seventh pick. Steph Curry was selected seventh in 2009 after the Minnesota Timberwolves took point guards in Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn with picks five and six.

Questions over Curry’s ankles hung over his head leading into the draft, hindering his chances of going higher. But those questions were answered and forgotten following four championships, two MVPs, 10 All Star berths and the mantle as the unquestioned greatest shooter of all time. Curry is a lock for the Hall of Famer once he retires.

Fellow seventh picks Chris Mullin and Bernard King are already there, taken in 1985 and 1977 respectively. Mullin, another Golden State Warriors sharpshooter, helped put three point shooting on the map and played a role with the famous 1992 Dream Team. King was basketball royalty in New York and New Jersey, achieving four All Stars, two All NBA First teams, an All NBA Second teams and an All NBA Third team honor.

Aside from Curry, active seventh picks of note include Lauri Markkanen who made his first All Star team with the Utah Jazz last season after being drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2017. Julius Randle was selected seventh by the Los Angles Lakers in 2014 and has also made All Star teams in 2021, 2023 and 2024 as a member of the New York Knicks.

Other notable seventh picks over the past 54 years include Kevin Johnson who shone with the Phoenix Suns during the 1990s. Alvin Robertson was also notable for both the San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks through the late 1980s and early 90s.

The Blazers themselves have recent history with the seventh pick, taking Shaedon Sharpe in 2022. The shooting guard appears to have the skill and athleticism to make a mark on the NBA. Entering his third season, the Canadian has a chance to shine after an injury-riddled 2023-24 campaign.

MVP - 1

Steph Curry (drafted in 2009)

Hall of Fame - 2

Chris Mullin (85), Bernard King (77)

All-NBA - 6

Julius Randle (14), Steph Curry (09), Kevin Johnson (87), Chris Mullin (85), Alvin Robertson (84), Bernard King (77)

NBA All Stars - 11

Lauri Markkanen (17), Julius Randle (14), Steph Curry (09), Luol Deng (04), Richard Hamilton (99), Kevin Johnson (87), Chris Mullin (85), Alvin Robertson (84), Steve Johnson (81), Bernard King (77), John Johnson (70)

All-Defensive Team - 4

Luol Deng (04). Kirk Hinrich (03), Alvin Robertson (84), Quinn Buckner (76),

Rookie of the Year - 1

Damon Stoudamire (95)

None of the above - 39

Bilal Coulibaly (23), Shaedon Sharpe (22), Jonathan Kuminga (21), Killian Hayes (20), Coby White (19). Wendell Carter Jr. (18), Jamal Murray (16), Emmanuel Mudiay (15), Ben McLemore (13), Harrison Barnes (12), Bismack Biyombo (11), Greg Monroe (10). Eric Gordon (08), Corey Brewer (07), Randy Foye (06), Charlie Villanueva (05), Eddie Griffin (01), Chris Mihm (00), Jason Williams (98), Tim Thomas (97), Lorenzen Wright (96), Lamond Murray (94), Bobby Hurley (93), Walt Williams (92), Luc Longley (91) Lionel Simmons (90), George McCloud (89), Tim Perry (88), Roy Tarpley (86), Thurl Bailey (83), Quintin Dailey (82), Mike Gminski (80), Vinnie Johnson (79), Ron Brewer (78), Rich Kelley (75), Tom Henderson (74), Ron Behagen (73), Bud Stallworth (72), Cliff Meely (71)

History of #14

Over 54 years, the 14th pick has delivered two Hall of Famers, four Hall of Fame names, four All Defensive honorees and six All Stars — one in every nine making the annual showcase. The Blazers have done particularly well with former 14th overall picks. Clyde Drexler was taken 14th in 1983 and Maurice Lucas, selected initially by the Chicago Bulls in 1974, found his way to the Pacific Northwest after two seasons in the ABA.

Drexler’s resume need not be repeated for this particular readership but I should say he is the reason this writer became a fan of the Blazers three decades ago.

Lucas was a key member of the Blazers one and only NBA title team in 1977. He was also decorated with four All Star nominations, a couple of All Defensive honors and an All NBA Second team in 1978.

Drexler isn’t the only Hall of Famer on this list with five-time All Star Tim Hardaway Sr. taken with the the 14th pick in 1989. A Team USA and multiple All NBA honoree, Hardaway had his jersey retired by the Miami Heat, where he spent five prime years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Of the active 14th picks, Edrice “Bam” Adebayo has been the most successful. Emerging out of the 2017 draft — the same class the Blazers traded up to 10th to draft Zach Collins — Adebayo has become a two-way force. Alongside Jimmy Butler, Adebayo has regularly dragged the Heat deep into the NBA Playoffs with underrated supporting casts around them.

The other name to consider is Michael Porter Jr., taken 14th in 2018. Despite a list of injuries that also contributed to the dropping of his own draft stock , Porter Jr. played a key role in the Denver Nuggets NBA Championship last season. Whether he’s able to maintain his current durability and achieve individual awards remains to be seen.

MVP - 0

Hall of Fame - 2

Tim Hardaway (89), Clyde Drexler (83)

All-NBA - 4

Peja Stojakovic (96), Tim Hardaway (89), Clyde Drexler (83), Maurice Lucas (74)

NBA All Stars - 6

Bam Adebayo (17), Peja Stojakovic (96), Tim Hardaway (89), Dan Majerle (88), Clyde Drexler (83), Maurice Lucas (74)

All-Defensive Team - 4

Bam Adebayo (17), Dan Majerle (88). Tree Rollins (77), Maurice Lucas (74)

Rookie of the Year - 0

None of the above - 47

Jordan Hawkins (23), Ochai Agbaji (22), Moses Moody (21), Aaron Nesmith (20), Romeo Langford (19), Michael Porter Jr. (18), Denzel Valentine (16), Cameron Payne (15), TJ Warren (14), Shabazz Muhammad (13), John Henson (12), Marcus Morris (11), Patrick Patterson (10), Earl Clark (09), Anthony Randolph (08), Al Thornton (07), Ronnie Brewer (06), Rashad McCants (05), Kris Humphries (04), Luke Ridnour (03), Fred Jones (02), Troy Murphy (01), Mateen Cleaves (00), William Avery (99), Michael Dickerson (98), Maurice Taylor (97), Eric Williams (95), Yinka Dare (94), Scott Haskin (93), Malik Sealy (92), Rich King (91), Travis Mays (90), Tellis Frank (87), Walter Berry (86), Alfredrick Hughes (85), Michael Cage (84), Lester Conner (82), Herb Williams (81), Wes Matthews Sr. (80), Brad Holland (79), Roger Phegley (78), Larry Wright (76), Joe Bryant (75), Mel Davis (73), Bob Davis (72), John Roche (71), John Vallely (70)

Conclusion

NBA franchises will need to dig deep to find what appear to be hidden gems in this particularly poorly thought-of class. But the challenge becomes all the more sweeter when you find a Draymond Green in 2012, Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2013, Nikola Jokic in 2014 or a Jalen Brunson in 2014.

The hope is the Blazers unearth the next Steph Curry or Bernard King with the seventh pick and/or Clyde Drexler or Maurice Lucas at the 14. Whatever the Blazers do, history suggests at least one name from this class will go onto become real NBA talent.

The Blazers also own two second round picks, to be used to either secure an under-the-radar prospect or be dealt for other assets.

Despite the disappointment of the lottery, the Blazers have two lottery picks that have previously yielded MVPs, All Stars, All NBA talent and Defensive Player of the Year success. There’s nothing to suggest that they can’t do the same, despite the lack of eye-popping prospects scouted thus far